The Guernsey Museum at Candie is a great place for a visit with kids thanks to the Discovery Room, a dedicated space for children with lots to explore, and every January the Time Warp area, within the Discovery Room, has a new theme for the year, and for 2024 it is ‘Stories in the Wood’. All this along with permanent and temporary exhibitions, kids films and a family-friendly cafe, set in the beautiful surroundings of Candie Gardens in the heart of St Peter Port.
Location
Guernsey Museum at Candie is located within Candie Gardens (on Candie Road) in St Peter Port, a 5 minute walk from the high street. There are a number of entrances around the park and on-street parking on Candie Road. Parking spaces can be hard to come by near Candie Gardens but, as it is such a short walk from the town centre parking areas, they are probably your best option.
The Gardens
Candie Gardens offers a spot of tranquility in St Peter Port with beautiful flower beds, lawns, and fish ponds along with stunning views over St Peter Port Harbour, Herm and Sark. The garden is split over 2 levels with a large lawned area in the upper garden and 2 fish ponds and beautiful flower beds in the lower garden. There are benches dotted throughout the gardens to take in the views and enjoy the tranquility of the area.
At the top of the Gardens is the Priaulx Library. The library includes extensive collections of books, maps and documents, particularly relating to local history.
Guernsey Museum at Candie
Guernsey Museum is a great place to visit with kids thanks to the Discovery Room, a space dedicated to hands-on learning where visitors of all ages can enjoy retro games and traditional toys including a rocking horse, table football, punch & Judy, a model railway and a space hopper!
The Discovery Room also features the Time Warp, which changes each year to a different time period or theme for immersive interactive play and learning. The theme for 2024 is ‘Stories in the Wood’. The area has been transformed into a beautiful scene at Moulin Huet with a little cottage and a beautiful backdrop. It features art supplies for children to get creative, lots of play food and equipment in the cottage for fun role play, and a selection of dress-up outfits so kids can become artists, chefs and more! For more information CLICK HERE!
The main museum galleries are also great for kids and you can pick up activity sheets for the exhibitions from the Discovery Room to allow a deeper interaction with the galleries.
There is no charge to enter Candie Gardens but there is a charge to enter the museum costing £7 for adults, £2 for children (under 18) & students (with valid student card) and no charge for children under 7 years old. Or entry is free with a Discovery Pass that costs £22 per adult for 12 months unlimited access and accompanying children then go FREE!
Films at Candie
The Frossard Theatre is located within the museum and it screens a selection of family-friendly movies during the school holidays, however, due to licensing restrictions they are not allowed to publicly advertise the titles, but they can be found on their closed Facebook group, SEE HERE.
Cafe Victoria
Cafe Victoria is housed within a cast iron Victorian bandstand linked to the museum, but can be accessed without paying admission. Its glass windows and terrace tables offer stunning views over the harbour and Castle Cornet to Herm, Sark and beyond. The menu offers light lunches prepared on the premises and home-made cakes. The cafe is open 7 days a week.
We thoroughly enjoy a visit to the Guernsey Museum at Candie and it is probably our top wet weather place to go. My girls always find something new to entertain them and would stay in the Discovery Room for a good hour!
Address
Candie Road, Guernsey, GY1 1UG
Bus Routes
41, 42, 51, 52, 61, 62, 71, 81
Admission Price
There is no charge to enter Candie Gardens but there is a charge to enter the museum costing £7 for adults, £2 for children (under 18) & students (with valid student card) and no charge for children under 7 years old. Or entry is free with a Discovery Pass that costs £22 per adult for 12 months unlimited access and accompanying children then go FREE!
Website
For more information visit http://www.museums.gov.gg/gmag
